Internal and external review for diagnostic test accuracy reviews
Please note that the process for getting editorial input from the DTA Methods Group will change on 31 March 2024. If CRG staff need input from the team after this point (e.g. to review the final version of a DTA review) please contact support@cochrane.org.
From 1 December 2023 the option to ‘Invite Reviewers’ and begin the peer review process will be available on the Central Editorial Service EM site only. Please transfer any submissions needing peer review directly to Central Editorial Service.
The process for internal and external review of diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) reviews, allows the DTA Methods Group to manage the methods peer review, whilst the CRG or Central Editorial Service teams simultaneously manage content peer review.
When a DTA submission comes in and is assessed as ready for peer review:
| CRG or Central Editorial Service | DTA Editorial Team |
|---|---|
Assign the DTA Editorial Team as a reviewer (see Invite reviewers). The DTA Editorial Team has an account in EM: DTA Editorial Team (first name: DTA; last name: Editorial Team). This account is registered to email address DTA-ET@contacts.bham.ac.uk and has a reviewer role of DTA Reviewer across all EM sites. You must Assign (Asn.) the DTA Editorial Team to the peer review task, not Invite (Inv.). This ensures that links in the assignment email display correctly. Assigning the DTA Editorial Team as a reviewer, flags to the DTA Team that they should begin the process of specialist DTA methods peer review (methods, statistical and search peer review). While the submission is being reviewed by the DTA Team, if you receive any emails related to DTA peer review, please forward to DTA-ET@contacts.bham.ac.uk. | DTA Team receive DTA Reviewer task assignment. |
| Once assigned, adjust the due date for the DTA Reviewer to provide comments to 60 days. | |
| DTA Editorial Team invites Methods, Statistical and Search reviewers. | |
| Clinical and Consumer Reviewers comment on submission. | Methods, Statistical and Search reviewers comment on submission. |
| All Clinical and Consumer Reviewer comments received | All Methods, Statistical and Search reviewer comments received. |
| Clinical and Consumer Reviewer comments collated. | DTA Editorial Team collates DTA specialist methods peer review comments and assigns DTA Contact Editor. |
DTA Contact Editor reviews DTA peer review comments and discusses the submission at the next DTA editorial meeting. | |
DTA Contact Editor prepares report of peer review comments, editor guidance, and recommendation of decision, and shares with DTA Editorial Team. | |
| DTA Editorial Team submits peer review comments in EM. Peer review comments are submitted as a Word document attachment. | |
| Include Clinical and Consumer Reviewer Reviewer comments in the decision letter to authors, and add all DTA Reviewer comments in an attachment to the email (or CRGs/Editorial Service may choose to collate all comments together in one attachment). | |
| Return peer review comments to authors with editorial decision. | |
| Authors revise review in response to comments and submit revised version | |
| If further expert DTA methods input needed (e.g. if DTA Editorial Team recommends major or minor revisions previously), when the revised article is submitted, invite the DTA Editorial Team to re-review (see Select from Previous Reviewers) and repeat the process above. |